Boyne elementary principal says leaving is 'bittersweet'

BOYNE CITY — Fred Sitkins, said it’s the connections to Boyne City Elementary students and staff that has affected him the most over 14 years.

These connections will make it hard to leave his position as principal.

“It’s for sure bittersweet,” he said. “I didn’t anticipate leaving, it wasn’t like I was out there looking for a job, so that made it a real difficult decision. But I had a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, this is a dream job.”

The principal’s last day will be Friday, Oct. 4, after which he will begin his new position as, executive director of the Inland Seas Education Association. The association is a nonprofit, that aims to protect the Great Lakes through shipboard and off-shore educational programs.

He said he started in education as a result of working at Inland Seas, almost 25 years ago.

“I worked on tall ships in Traverse City and it helped introduce me to education,” he said. “There were times where somebody had a light bulb go off, get excited about learning, and that’s really what caused me to go into education in the first place.”

Since then it’s grown into a pretty big organization, he said, they now have their own schooner and they’re creating many educational programs. So to have the opportunity to follow in the current director, Tom Kelly’s, footsteps is an honor, he said,

“But leaving here is leaving an incredible group of kids, incredible staff, this place is doing some amazing things,” he said. “We’re leading the country really, in how we’re integrating technology into instruction. This has really opened up avenues we’ve never had before.”

He said the school has some really exciting stuff happening, and it’s been great for him to be a part of it. Which makes it hard for him to walk away from all of it.

The reaction from the community to his leaving has been positive and supportive, he said.

“I think folks are really happy I’ve got the opportunity to follow a dream. They tell me I can’t pass up the opportunity,” he said.

Taking over for Sitkins will be Mark Fralick, who worked at Petoskey Middle School for 30 years before he retired. For the past four years he’s worked with students at the Boyne City Elementary 21st Century program, an after school reading and math skills program.

“I hope to continue what has been going on here for the past 14 years,” he said. “Because when I walked in here four years ago I was impressed with the school, with the staff, with the students and the supportive parents.”

He will be interim for this year, after which, the school board will reevaluate and make the final decision.

“This is really going to be a smooth transition for everybody,” Sitkins said. “Everybody knows Mark. Students love him, teachers love him, he’s so familiar with the building and the programing. It will be a seamless transition.”